This disclosure relates generally to the field of formation fluid sampling while drilling or drilling related operations (e.g., tripping, washing, reaming, etc.) are in progress. More specifically, the disclosure relates to communication methods that may inform the sampling instrument operator whether a sample chamber has been filled, notwithstanding limited bandwidth of signal channels used with while-drilling instruments.
Practice has shown that the opening and closure of a sample bottle carried by a wellbore formation sampling tool can be unreliable. To mitigate lost time resulting from a failed sample capture, it can be beneficial for an operator to learn of the failed sample capture as soon as possible—at least before opening a sample bottle on the rig site, and preferably when the sampling tool is still in the wellbore proximate the sampling position. This knowledge can be obtained by measuring the sampled fluid pressure and/or sample bottle volume during the capture of a fluid sample and communicating the foregoing measurements to the operator. Communication between a sampling while drilling tool and the surface, however, usually occurs using drilling fluid flow modulation (“mud pulse”) telemetry, and thus the communication bandwidth is relatively limited.